92: Chapter 89 Gathering Essence 92: Chapter 89 Gathering Essence The Martial Arts Dream World Square, Chu Xisheng’s figure swiftly maneuvered, his hands forming sword fingers, wrapped with a trace of fine lightning, continuously bombarding the six dummies placed around him.
These dummies could actually move, constantly changing positions.
The system’s virtual illusion was incredibly magical, not only could it manifest Chu Xisheng’s “Blood Refining Light Steel Blade,” but it could also fully materialize the “Green Thunder Bi” artifact’s power within the dream.
The six wooden dummies originated from a “Virtual Training Tool Card” that Chu Xisheng redeemed.
It allowed him to use various tools within the virtual illusion to aid in his martial arts practice.
—These moving wooden dummies were just one of them.
Besides that, the Martial Arts Treasure Vault also contained a “Virtual Combat Card (Seventh Rank).”
This card could manifest one to ten enemies in the dream, with combat power above Ninth Grade but below Seventh Rank, adjustable at will.
They could also possess various martial arts skills and were usable for a hundred hours.
However, Chu Xisheng found this card too expensive, requiring ten Martial Arts Points to redeem.
“Virtual Training Card” and “Virtual Training Tool Card” only cost one Martial Arts Point each, but the “Virtual Combat Card” was ten times more expensive.
Of course, its high cost was justified as Chu Xisheng knew the benefits of virtual combat, but he didn’t have enough Martial Arts Points at the moment.
Currently, Chu Yunyun was enough for his combat training.
This former Dominating Martial King’s martial arts knowledge was incredibly extensive, familiar with the martial styles of various sects, and could simulate them all.
Only her combat awareness was top-notch; every time Chu Xisheng sparred with her, his spirit suffered a blow.
Chu Xisheng was fully engrossed, completely forgetting the passage of time until his ears heard a “thump, thump” knocking sound.
This sound seemed to come from reality, indicating that Chu Yunyun was knocking on his room door.
Chu Xisheng’s mind slightly moved, stopping his “Chasing Lightning Finger” practice.
He glanced at his system panel and saw that the martial arts column now had the suffix (First Level) appended to “Chasing Lightning Finger.”
Chu Xisheng’s lips slightly curled into a satisfied expression.
It seemed his night of virtual training had been fruitful.
Of course, this was because he had used Qin Muge’s Character Card and had an early understanding of the essence of “Chasing Lightning Finger.”
So, after Chu Yunyun had only briefly instructed him yesterday, he practiced in the virtual environment for a whole night, and the first layer of “Chasing Lightning Finger” came naturally.
However, this barehanded skill he longed to learn wasn’t as sophisticated as he initially imagined.
Before achieving the third level, “Chasing Lightning Finger” focused on poking eyes, nostrils, throats, under the ribs, and other weak points of the human body.
Anyway, wherever there were weaknesses in the human body, he poked there.
But it was understandable, as human finger joints were quite fragile.
Before training the fingers to be comparable to knives and guns, there was no need to touch the hard parts of a person.
Chu Xisheng then exited the Dream World; at this moment, the morning training bell rang just in time.
He washed up quickly and left the house with Chu Yunyun to go to the training grounds for the morning practice.
But today, for some reason, many youthful and beautiful girls sought his guidance on sword skills.
Chu Xisheng, adhering to his “cold exterior, warm interior” character setting, patiently instructed them one by one.
Chu Yunyun could not tolerate it any longer; she shook her head and simply left Chu Xisheng, heading to the main training ground first.
She was a sorcerer primarily practicing the Yang Flame Technique, so morning training was also very important to her and she had no time to linger with Chu Xisheng here.
Lu Luanyi was fuming.
She came eagerly in the early morning to train together with Chu Xisheng, only to see this scene.
Fortunately, Chu Xisheng remembered his character of being “aloof and proud.”
Seeing fewer and fewer disciples hastily moving, Chu Xisheng refused the last few girls, hurrying to the training ground.
“Brother Chu is really a kind person, so considerate to every detail, but why do you mostly instruct only female disciples?”
Lu Luanyi knew she was wrong but couldn’t help but sarcastically say, “I see those girls are all very pretty, each one more lovely than the other.”
Chu Xisheng immediately sighed, smiling bitterly: “I’m known for being cold on the outside but warm on the inside, unable to refuse others.
And since it’s hard for women to cultivate, as their senior brother, I help when I can.”
He glanced back at one of the sisters as if unconcerned: “Are they pretty?
To be honest, I’m face-blind, can’t distinguish beauty from ugliness.”
Lu Luanyi was speechless at his reply.
She looked puzzled, wondering if Chu Xisheng truly just wanted to help these fellow disciples.
When the two arrived at the main training ground, they were almost late.
This time, instead of following other disciples to practice Nourishing Essence Skill, they went to the south side of the training ground.
There were twenty-five square two-zhang black jade altars neatly arranged.
This was the so-called Gathering Essence Array, entirely made of black jade, with Elixir Talismans inscribed inside and outside.
Once activated, it could double the Primordial Spirit within the altar.
Each of the Martial Academy’s Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northern courtyards had six altars, and the extra one was a private gift to the Eastern Courtyard from Shao Lingshan.
However, the Gathering Essence Array required ten people to activate, first come first served, so the disciples from each courtyard mingled freely to fill the slots.
They didn’t care which courtyard one belonged to, they just gathered ten people to start the array.
Only the slots were controlled by the Martial Arts Instructors, and for the past three months, the Eastern Courtyard had consistently had seventy people.
But disciples needed to register with the instructors a day in advance to use the Gathering Essence Array the next morning.
At this moment, the twenty-four Gathering Essence Arrays had been activated, with only one in the corner still waiting for them.
Chu Xisheng knew they had arrived late; he entered the altar and apologetically cupped his fists to those waiting inside: “My apologies, brothers!
We were delayed, please forgive us.”
However, his brows slightly furrowed.
He noticed that the eight people meditating inside were all three-leaf disciples.
They sat on the ground with cold expressions, ignoring Chu Xisheng’s apology.
Among them, some even looked at him with exceptional coldness.
One of the old acquaintances, Liu Xingruo, the chief disciple of the Western Courtyard, was among them.
Chu Xisheng slightly frowned but then smiled freely, sitting in the empty spot on the east side.
Lu Luanli sat next to him, her gaze sweeping over the eight people present: “Be careful, something seems off with them.”
Chu Xisheng glanced at his Character Panel’s status column.
——You sensed the surrounding malice, determined for revenge, triggering Vengeful Blade Intent, your blade strikes can be accompanied by Spiritual Shock.
——You have over three hundred Ninth Grade martial cultivators harboring malice towards you, your Vengeful Blade Intent has increased to intermediate strength!
——You are targeted by eight Ninth Grade martial cultivators harboring enemy intent, your Vengeful Blade Intent has slightly increased.
Vengeance Perception’s malice consisted of “malice,” “enemy intent,” and “kill intent” in three intensities.
The stronger the malice, the greater the boost to the Vengeful Blade Intent.
The many disciples in the Martial Arts Academy were often annoyed with him, but mostly at the level of “malice.”
Enemy intent among peers was rare, only slightly noticeable previously when he took first place in the combat assessment.
Chu Xisheng pondered, then laughed: “I see, let’s watch and wait.
If there is any problem, don’t intervene, I can handle it.”
Lu Luanli snorted at that, thinking she didn’t intend to help anyway.
Today was clearly a well-prepared trap.
Those female disciples seeking Chu Xisheng’s guidance were just to delay him, ensuring he arrived last and stepped into this Gathering Essence Array.
This guy deserved some lessons.
For having a cold exterior but a warm heart!
For not knowing rejection!
For not distinguishing beauty and ugliness!
At this moment, the instructor supervising the Gathering Essence Array glanced inside: “Is everyone ready?”
Seeing the ten people inside silent, he activated the Gathering Essence Array.
As four silver gas columns condensed from runes rose outside the array, the internal spiritual energy gradually grew stronger.
Chu Xisheng clearly felt the difference in spiritual energy within the array and didn’t dare to slack off, immediately visualizing the Great Sun, performing breathing exercises.
Yet, at that moment, he sensed eight kinds of thought simultaneously bombarding him within the array.